Another full day of northbound travel logged; two down one more to go. In good weather again time passed in style. Ample time to reflect upon voyage highlights with angler's below revealed some impressive stats and stories. Tallying fifteen fish over 200 pounds on this run, one of those being a 336 pound behemoth, another seven pushed the scales over the 250 pound mark. Along with the additional deuces up to 235, and the largest percentage of “filler” fish in the 150 – 190 pound range, this voyage was well above average offering the exact opportunity big fish anglers dream of. Results such as these are a real testament to preparation in every respect. Between the gear itself, seminars and instruction while traveling down, application of experience learned, and full commitment by crewmen to both individual angler's and the vessel's overall success, the ratio of achievements to heart breaking defeats in present times is nothing short of incredible. Long range anglers and crews today are living the benefit of a whole host of predecessors that suffered many a setback from a steep learning curve. Not that anglers today are wholly unfamiliar with the odds – every jumbo hooked is far from in the bag we regularly discover, but the percentage of successful outcomes in battles with giants today compared to twenty years ago is downright incredible. We used to land one or two out of five at best on a good day; now it is common to land five of five. Advancements in tackle and techniques have opened the door for every aspiring giant yellowfin tuna angler; none are too big to handle. It is unspeakably rewarding from my perspective to see so many anglers achieve their dream of landing a giant yellowfin; to see so many anglers passion for fishing manifest in such incredible dimensions. Today's image features one of those fortunate anglers annually drawn to the challenge this entirely distinct fishery offers. Long time long range and Royal Star veteran Cliff Hamaishi is all smiles after landing this beautiful 185 during our first evening of fishing.